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Better to begin early Free raised her chin "Well, let’s get started"

Chapter Ten

THE STABLES WERE QUIET and peaceful, pleasantly dark after thesun Edward felt totally at odds as he stepped inside His right hand had hurt last night; it ached now His pal was broken, and pain was the least of his worries

Patrick Shaughnessy stood at the far end of the stables, exalanced up as Edward came in, but kept on with his ith no ment Patrick’s father had been like that, too--not one to interrupt his work unless there was blood or a broken limb

After a moment, Edward mounted the ladder to the hayloft and found a pitchfork Pitching hay with his bruised hand was a difficult prospect At first, the pain was just a twinge, but it grew to a sharp throb Every forkful hurt a little ood a re but pain

It took some ten minutes for his muscles to remember the proper rhythm for the work The pain concentrated in the pal in time to each thrust

All you see is the river, but I care about the roses

Hard to remember there was more than the river, when it had once overflowed its banks and swept hio near rivers Don’t go anywhere near rivers

Miss Marshall spent her life daring those more powerful than her to swat her down The hell of it was, her deterion He could feel it infecting hi hiood and I want her forever

He gritted his teeth and pitched hay, picking up a heavy forkful and letting it slide to the box in the stall below

No, he had to re You had to keep your eye on the river, no matter what she said If you let your control slip, rivers would pull you under In your desperation, you’d claw at anyone around just to get a gasp of air You wouldn’t even realize the harm you’d done until it was too late

"I think," Patrick’s voice said behind hih now"

Edward stopped, breathing heavily, co out over the stables beneath hi in idyllic rest A stallion stamped restively and shook its head

It was peaceful here, and part of him wanted to take up residence in this stable But there was no way he could crawl back into his childhood

Instead, he looked back at Patrick "You have always been ht have taken offense at those words, but Patrick understood him

"It never mattered where in Europe I went," he said, "or howto me--you and Stephen I wished I could be the hardened felloho never cared But I saw Stephen the other day…"

Edward shrugged

"You never wished for any such thing," Patrick said stoutly